Castlehttp://www.adweek.com/taxonomy/term/8032/all
enABC Re-Ups Paul Leehttp://www.adweek.com/news/television/abc-re-ups-paul-lee-157048
Anthony Crupi<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/paul_lee.jpeg"> <p>
With just a month to go before it pitches its 2014-15 upfront slate, ABC has re-upped entertainment president Paul Lee.</p>
<p>
The genial Brit has signed a new multiyear deal with the network, and while terms were not disclosed, it is believed that the contract will keep Lee locked down through spring 2018.</p>
<p>
Lee took the helm of ABC and the network&rsquo;s studio unit in July 2010 when he succeeded outgoing entertainment chief <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/steve-mcpherson-out-abc-115822" target="_blank">Steve McPherson</a>. Previously, Lee had served as the head of the cable net ABC Family.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
While ratings have sagged during Lee&rsquo;s tenure&mdash;ABC is on pace to finish last among the Big Four in the adults 18-49 demo for three seasons running&mdash;slow and steady wins the race at the Disney-owned network.</p>
<p>
Insiders say that Disney CEO Bob Iger prizes stability over nearly all other virtues, and Lee is expected to play a key role in the company&rsquo;s succession plan. (Disney last month announced that it had named ABC News president <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/ben-sherwood-named-top-dog-disneyabc-television-group-156492" target="_blank">Ben Sherwood</a> the successor to <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/anne-sweeney-leaving-disney-156250" target="_blank">Anne Sweeney</a>. Effective Feb. 1, 2015, Sherwood will assume the title of co-chairman, Disney Media Networks and president, Disney/ABC Television Group.) &nbsp;</p>
<p>
If the ABC&rsquo;s ratings struggles show no sign of abating&mdash;season to date, the network is averaging a 2.1 in the dollar demo, down 9 percent from the year-ago 2.3&mdash;Lee&rsquo;s development choices generally have been inspired. While one wouldn&rsquo;t necessarily characterize them as crowd pleasers, his comedies have been particularly strong; unfortunately, the funnier the show, the clunkier the title.&nbsp;(See: <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/trophy-wife-star-albert-tsai-spends-his-free-time-reading-harry-potter-books-156144" target="_blank">Trophy Wife</a>, Don&rsquo;t Trust the B---- in Apt. 23, Suburgatory, et al.)</p>
<p>
Drama&rsquo;s been a sticky wicket for Lee; since taking the helm, ABC has renewed just four in-season dramas (Revenge, Once Upon a Time, Nashville, Scandal) and the summer series Mistresses. (Scandal is by far the shiniest bauble on Lee&rsquo;s knickknack shelf, averaging a gaudy 3.0 in its Thursday 10 p.m. time slot.)</p>
<p>
Odds are two freshman dramas will join the aforementioned renewal roster: Marvel&rsquo;s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/resurrection-breathes-new-life-abc-sunday-156214" target="_blank">Resurrection</a>. One final new drama, Black Box, is set to premiere on Thursday, April 24.</p>
<p>
While ABC has yet to announce any series renewals, the veteran shows Modern Family, Castle, Revenge, Scandal, Grey&rsquo;s Anatomy and The Middle are shoo-ins for the network&rsquo;s fall schedule.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
ABC will take the wraps off its upfront slate on Tuesday, May 13, at New York&rsquo;s Linocln Center. <strong>Spoiler alert:</strong> Jimmy Kimmel will show up to inform attendees that the TV business is <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/kimmel-skewers-abc-rivals-traditional-upfront-bit-140567" target="_blank">total bullshit</a>&nbsp;&hellip; and at least one media outlet will <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jimmy-kimmel-abc-new-shows-upfront-oprah-2011-5" target="_blank">miss the joke</a>.</p>
Television2014-15 UpfrontAbcAnne SweeneyBen SherwoodBob IgerAnthony CrupiDisneyDon’t Trust the B---- in Apt. 23Grey’s AnatomyMarvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.Modern FamilyNashvilleNetworksOnce Upon a TimePaul LeeRatingsResurrectionRevengeScandalSteve McPhersonSuburgatoryThe MiddleTrophy WifeWalt Disney Co.Tue, 15 Apr 2014 18:30:52 +0000157048 at http://www.adweek.comHow I Met Your Mother Turbocharges CBS’ Lineuphttp://www.adweek.com/news/television/how-i-met-your-mother-turbocharges-cbs-lineup-155293
Anthony Crupi<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/how-i-met-your-mother-hed-2014.jpg"> <p>
Episode No. 200 of <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/how_i_met_your_mother/" target="_blank">How I Met Your Mother</a> powered CBS&rsquo; entire Monday night lineup, as the nine-seasons-in-the-making origin story helped deliver the comedy&rsquo;s highest ratings in a year.</p>
<p>
According to Nielsen live-plus-same-day data, How Your Mother Met Me averaged 10.8 million viewers and a season-high 3.8 in the adults 18-49 demo. The overall deliveries were the HIMYM&rsquo;s most robust since the Feb. 4, 2013 episode averaged 10.3 million viewers and a 4.0 rating.</p>
<p>
Last night&rsquo;s episode revealed the Mother&rsquo;s catastrophic backstory and featured Cristin Milioti&rsquo;s ukulele-accompanied version of <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/la-vie-en-rose-from-how-i/id807234915" target="_blank">&ldquo;La Vie en Rose.&rdquo;</a> HIMYM will be shuttered for good on March 31, when CBS airs a special two-part series finale.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
After getting off to a fast start at 8 p.m., CBS kept pouring it on, as <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/fcc-complaints-never-fail-disappoint-154677" target="_blank">2 Broke Girls</a> notched a season-high 10.1 million viewers and a 3.0 rating and Mike &amp; Molly scared up 10.8 million viewers and a 2.6 in the demo.</p>
<p>
At 9:30 p.m., freshman sitcom <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/cbs-gives-full-season-orders-3-freshman-comedies-153266" target="_blank">Mom</a> served up its biggest audience since premiering on Sept. 23, averaging 9.58 million viewers. The episode&rsquo;s 2.4 rating was just one-tenth of a ratings point shy of the high notch in the series opener.</p>
<p>
Even the beleaguered 10 o&rsquo;clock drama Intelligence got a boost, drawing 6.84 million viewers and a 1.5 in the demo, up 36 percent from last week&rsquo;s 1.1 rating. (Intelligence also faced softer competition on the hour, as ABC countered with an encore presentation of Castle (1.4).</p>
<p>
Meanwhile, NBC&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/voiceless-blacklist-drops-intelligence-plummets-154973" target="_blank">The Blacklist</a> drew 10.2 million viewers and a 2.5 in the dollar demo, marking an improvement of 9 percent versus last week&rsquo;s 2.3. Last night&rsquo;s installment is the last to air without leading out of The Voice; both shows return from hiatus on Feb. 24, the day after NBC wraps its coverage of the 2014 Winter Olympics.</p>
<p>
The only network to really take it on the chin Monday night was Fox, which posted disappointing numbers with the time slot premiere of The Following. After drawing a very promising 11.2 million viewers and a 4.4 in the demo <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/fox-preps-following-post-nfc-championship-game-slot-154074" target="_blank">after the NFC Championship Game</a>, the Kevin Bacon vehicle plummeted to series-low 6.02 million viewers and a 2.0 rating.</p>
<p>
Season 1 of The Following averaged 7.95 million viewers and a 2.6 rating leading out of Bones. While it&rsquo;s likely <a href="http://www.fox.com/the-following/" target="_blank">The Following</a> will improve somewhat upon the return of regular 8 p.m. occupant Almost Human&mdash;last night&rsquo;s installment followed a repeat of the Jan. 19 season premiere (1.1)&mdash;this was a rough outing for last season&rsquo;s biggest new hit.</p>
<p>
Through its first eight episodes, Almost Human is averaging 6.57 million viewers and a 2.0 rating.</p>
<p>
Season to date, NBC is leading the pack with an average 2.9 rating, flat versus the year-ago period. CBS is in second place with a 2.6 (down 7 percent), Fox is in the hunt with a 2.5 (flat) and ABC is down 9 percent with a 2.1.</p>
Television2 Broke Girls2013-14 Broadcast TV SeasonAbcAlmost HumanCastleAnthony CrupiFoxHow I Met Your MotherIntelligenceKevin BaconMike & MollyMOMNbcNetworksNFC Championship GamePrime Time RatingsRatingsThe BlacklistThe FollowingThe VoiceTue, 28 Jan 2014 22:37:23 +0000155293 at http://www.adweek.comSleepy Hollow Goes Out on a High Note, The Blacklist Continues to Sliphttp://www.adweek.com/news/television/sleepy-hollow-goes-out-high-note-blacklist-continues-slip-155108
Anthony Crupi<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/sleepy-hollow-hed-2014.jpg"> <p>
Fox&rsquo;s freshman hit <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/visit-set-fox-s-sleepy-hollow-152428" target="_blank">Sleepy Hollow</a> wrapped its first season in grand fashion, drawing its biggest ratings in months with a two-part cliffhanger finale.</p>
<p>
According to Nielsen live-plus-same-day data, the supersized Sleepy Hollow averaged 6.94 million viewers and a 2.3 in the adults 18-49 demo, marking its strongest showing since mid-November.</p>
<p>
The first hour of the finale scared up 6.82 million viewers and a 2.2 rating, while the second segment averaged 7.05 million viewers and a 2.4 in the dollar demo. <a href="http://www.fox.com/sleepy-hollow/" target="_blank">Sleepy</a>&rsquo;s deliveries peaked in the 9:30-10 p.m. slot, averaging 7.24 million viewers and a 2.4 rating.</p>
<p>
All told, Sleepy&rsquo;s first season averaged 7.46 million viewers and a 2.6 rating. At present, the supernatural drama stands as the No. 3 new broadcast series, trailing only NBC&rsquo;s The Blacklist (3.0) and ABC&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/abc-gives-full-season-order-marvel-s-agents-shield-153050" target="_blank">Marvel&rsquo;s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.</a> (2.7).</p>
<p>
Speaking of The Blacklist, the James Spader procedural took another tumble Monday night, its second without having The Voice as its lead-in. The 10 p.m. drama fell to a series-low 2.3 in the demo, as back-to-back episodes of Hollywood Game Night could muster only a 1.3 and a 1.5 in the first two hours of prime.</p>
<p>
By way of comparison, the 13 Monday night episodes of The Voice averaged a 4.0 in the demo, per Nielsen live-plus-same-day estimates.</p>
<p>
Across the dial on CBS, the third installment of Intelligence showed no improvement over last week&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/voiceless-blacklist-drops-intelligence-plummets-154973" target="_blank">disappointing time slot premiere</a>. The Josh Holloway sci-fi/action series averaged just 5.77 million viewers and a 1.1 in the 18-49 demo, down one-tenth of a ratings point from its previous delivery.</p>
<p>
Given the moribund numbers put up by Intelligence and its predecessor, the limited series <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/blue-monday-cbs-comedies-hostages-struggle-152828" target="_blank">Hostages</a>&mdash;during its 15-episode lifespan, the show averaged 5.16 million viewers and a 1.2 rating&mdash;CBS has a real conundrum on its hands. While the network hasn&rsquo;t indicated that it was ready to cut and run on its newest drama, the option of sliding Hawaii Five-0 back into its former time slot is starting to look increasingly attractive.</p>
<p>
CBS has one last new drama in its back pocket, in the hothouse legal thriller <a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/cbs-orders-sultry-legal-drama-418266" target="_blank">Reckless</a>. No premiere date has been set for the series, which is produced in-house by CBS Television Studios.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
(For what it&rsquo;s worth, CBS entertainment president Nina Tassler last week gave Intelligence <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news-gallery/midseason-tv-matchups-155081#monday-2" target="_blank">a vote of confidence</a>, telling TCA Winter Press Tour attendees that she and her team &ldquo;love the stars and &hellip; think it&rsquo;s a really good show&rdquo; while acknowledging how tough the time slot has become. Tassler said CBS thus far has screened 11 episodes of Intelligence, which is executive produced by North Country scribe Michael Seitzman.)</p>
<p>
Intelligence may have a shot at improving its station after Jan. 27, when The Blacklist goes on a one-month hiatus. But as it stands now, ABC&rsquo;s clockwork-consistent cop drama <a href="http://abc.go.com/shows/castle" target="_blank">Castle</a> would appear to be in a better position to capitalize on the schedule change. On Monday night Castle averaged a 2.0 rating, just three-tenths of a point shy of the dominant Blacklist&rsquo;s delivery.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
Thus far, Sleepy Hollow and The Blacklist are the only two new series to earn <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/nbc-renews-blacklist-154278" target="_blank">renewals</a> for the 2014-15 campaign. Although it has fallen vertiginously since it premiered to a staggering 4.7 rating, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is a shoe-in for a second season, as is the CBS comedy The Millers. Fox&rsquo;s second new drama, Almost Human, is faring well enough on Monday nights (2.0) to get another shot next fall, and the comedies The Goldbergs (ABC) and The Crazy Ones (CBS) also are well north of the Mendoza line.</p>
Television2013-14 Broadcast TV SeasonAbcAlmost HumanCastleCbsAnthony CrupiHawaii Five-0Hollywood Game NightHostagesIntelligenceJames SpaderJosh HollowayMarvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.NbcNetworksNina TasslerPrime Time RatingsRatingsSleepy HollowTCAThe BlacklistThe Crazy OnesThe GoldbergsThe MillersThe VoiceTue, 21 Jan 2014 21:14:28 +0000155108 at http://www.adweek.comVoiceless Blacklist Drops, Intelligence Plummetshttp://www.adweek.com/news/television/voiceless-blacklist-drops-intelligence-plummets-154973
Anthony Crupi<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/blacklist-hed-2014.jpg"> <p>
The return of NBC&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.nbc.com/the-blacklist/" target="_blank">The Blacklist</a> on Monday was undermined somewhat by a softer lead-in, but the season&rsquo;s No. 1 new series still managed to dominate the 10 p.m. time slot.</p>
<p>
According to Nielsen live-plus-same-day data, the <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/nbc-renews-blacklist-154278" target="_blank">James Spader procedural</a> delivered 9.35 million viewers and a series-low 2.5 in the adults 18-49 demo, marking a 22 percent drop from its most recent original broadcast (3.2). The Blacklist had been on a six-week hiatus before it returned last night with its 11th episode.</p>
<p>
Until Monday&rsquo;s return engagement, The Blacklist had only dipped below a 3.0 in the demo once before, notching a 2.9 rating on Nov. 4.</p>
<p>
Although NBC heavily promoted the thriller&rsquo;s return, the ratings decline was not wholly unexpected, given that The Voice is no longer buttressing The Blacklist&rsquo;s numbers from 8-10 p.m. Broadcast&rsquo;s No. 3 show returns for its sixth cycle on Tuesday, Feb. 24, the day after NBC wraps its coverage of the Sochi Winter Olympics.</p>
<p>
If The Blacklist&rsquo;s deliveries were watered down by a weak lead-in&mdash;a special installment of America Ninja Warriors drew a 1.9 in the demo, whereas The Voice&rsquo;s Monday Night show averaged a 4.0&mdash;CBS seems to have lost its footing entirely in the hour. After bowing to <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/cbs-intelligence-season-s-most-watched-premiere-154861" target="_blank">16.5 million viewers and a 2.4 rating</a> in a special Tuesday night post-NCIS premiere, the new sci-fi drama Intelligence took it on the chin in its regular time slot. Per Nielsen, the Josh Holloway vehicle averaged just 6.20 million viewers and a 1.2 18-49 rating, down 50 percent from its opener.</p>
<p>
<a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/intelligence/" target="_blank">Intelligence</a>&rsquo;s time slot premiere was down 33 percent when compared to the Sept. 23 season debut of its predecessor, Hostages (1.8). The limited series ended its run last week with a two-part finale; all told, Hostages averaged 5.16 million viewers and a 1.2 rating over the course of its 15 episodes.</p>
<p>
The disappointing results came on the heels of a weekend in which CBS repeatedly characterized Intelligence as&nbsp;&ldquo;America&rsquo;s No. 1 New Drama.&rdquo; Promos for the show ran in heavy rotation during the network&rsquo;s coverage of the AFC Divisional Playoffs.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
(For what it&rsquo;s worth, while CBS may have jumped the gun with its hyperbolic promos, the special Intelligence premiere remains the most-watched series opener of 2013-14.)</p>
<p>
If the last hour of Monday prime continues to give CBS <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/tv-network-time-slots-where-nothing-seems-go-right-153262" target="_blank">fits</a>, its comedy block is no slouch. How I Met Your Mother (3.0, up 11 percent) and <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/fcc-complaints-never-fail-disappoint-154677" target="_blank">2 Broke Girls</a> (2.7, up 17 percent) put up the night&rsquo;s most robust demo numbers, while Mike &amp; Molly grew 9 percent to a 2.4 and freshman entry Mom was up 16 percent with a 2.1.</p>
<p>
Elsewhere, Fox&rsquo;s new hit <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/fox-renews-sleepy-hollow-152873" target="_blank">Sleepy Hollow</a> returned from a four-week nap with a 2.2 in the dollar demo, flat versus its most recent original installment, while lead-in Almost Human improved 11 percent to a 2.0.</p>
<p>
At ABC, The Bachelor fell 15 percent to a 2.3 rating, while Castle was up 12 percent with a 1.9.&nbsp;</p>
Television2 Broke Girls2013-14 Broadcast TV SeasonAbcAlmost HumanAmerican Ninja WarriorAnthony CrupiCbsFoxHow I Met Your MotherIntelligenceJames SpaderJosh HollowayMike & MollyMOMNbcNetworksPrime Time RatingsRatingsSleepy HollowThe BachelorThe BlacklistThe VoiceTue, 14 Jan 2014 18:24:51 +0000154973 at http://www.adweek.comSeasonal Stumbles for Monday Night’s Hottest Serieshttp://www.adweek.com/news/television/seasonal-stumbles-monday-night-s-hottest-series-153631
Anthony Crupi<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/the-voice-hed-2013.jpg"> <p>
Monday night&rsquo;s biggest broadcast shows are starting to settle into their seasonal troughs &hellip; a pattern that unfortunately coincides with the first full week of <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/more-tricks-treats-november-sweeps-begin-halloween-153567" target="_blank">November sweeps</a>.</p>
<p>
According to Nielsen live-plus-same-day data, all but one of the night&rsquo;s most popular series have dropped to seasonal lows. Most of these declines were expected&mdash;for example, <a href="http://www.nbc.com/the-voice/" target="_blank">The Voice</a> always seems to sag a bit after the blind auditions end, which in turn could only result in a dip for lead-out drama The Blacklist, while Fox&rsquo;s Sleepy Hollow tumbled after returning from its two-week <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/red-sox-drive-solid-world-series-ratings-153543" target="_blank">baseball hiatus</a>.</p>
<p>
From 8-10 p.m., the first live Voice installment of Season 5 delivered 11.8 million viewers and a 3.6 in the adults 18-49 demo, down 16 percent from last Monday&rsquo;s show (4.3) and 20 percent off the year-ago 4.5 rating. In the final hour of prime, The Blacklist drew a series-low 10.3 million total viewers and a 2.9 in the demo.</p>
<p>
While <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/nbc-shines-first-day-fall-tv-season-152686" target="_blank">The Blacklist tends to shed viewers from one half-hour to the next</a>, Monday night&rsquo;s episode was particularly erratic, dropping 22 percent from a 3.2 at 10-10:30 p.m. to a 2.5 in the final 30 minutes.</p>
<p>
Ratings declines aside, NBC still dominated in the dollar demo, averaging a 3.3 for its three programming hours. ABC was No. 1 among total viewers, averaging 12.3 million to NBC&rsquo;s 11.0 million.</p>
<p>
Two weeks on the bench left <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/fox-renews-sleepy-hollow-152873" target="_blank">Sleepy Hollow</a> a little rusty, as the supernatural thriller dipped to a series-low 7.08 million viewers and a 2.5 in the demo. That said, the sixth episode of Sleepy blew the former 9-10 p.m. time slot occupant out of the water, more than doubling the 1.0 eked out by The Mob Doctor a year ago.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
Beginning Nov. 18, Sleepy will lead out of the new robocop drama <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/how-nfl-flex-scheduling-could-boost-fox-s-almost-human-153308" target="_blank">Almost Human</a>, while Bones will be shuffled over to Friday nights.</p>
<p>
Fox closed out the night with a 2.3 in the demo, up 53 percent from a lowly 1.5 on Nov. 6, 2012, and tying CBS for second place.</p>
<p>
ABC finished fourth (2.1), as Dancing With the Stars was flat and <a href="http://abc.go.com/shows/castle" target="_blank">Castle</a>&nbsp;was up a tenth of a point. The night&rsquo;s other grower: CBS&rsquo; 8 p.m. comedy How I Met Your Mother, which improved 13 percent to a 3.4.</p>
<p>
CBS officially rolled out version 2.0 of its Monday night comedy block, returning veteran comedy <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/mike_and_molly/" target="_blank">Mike &amp; Molly</a> to the 9 p.m. slot vacated by 2 Broke Girls. Both shows tied for fourth place on the night with a 2.6 in the 18-49 demo, although with a 3.5 among the 25-54 set, the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W0ZnSaKl44" target="_blank">Melissa McCarthy</a> vehicle edged its lead-in by one-tenth of a ratings point.</p>
<p>
Girls was down 4 percent from last week, while M&amp;M fell 16 percent versus its Season 3 premiere (3.1). Year-over-year comps are a little dodgy in this case, as M&amp;M last year occupied the 9:30 p.m. slot.</p>
<p>
At 9:30 p.m., the sole survivor of Monday&rsquo;s freshman comedy class, <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/mom/" target="_blank">Mom</a>, averaged 7.38 million viewers and tied a series low with a 2.0 adults 18-49 rating. Beleaguered 10 p.m drama Hostages fell another tenth to a 1.1.; with seven of the show&rsquo;s slated 13 episodes having aired, it now appears as if CBS is content to burn off the serialized thriller in its current time slot.</p>
<p>
Hostages is set to be replaced by the midseason <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVQpETyWLag" target="_blank">Josh Holloway</a> action series, <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/intelligence/" target="_blank">Intelligence</a>, on Feb. 24.</p>
<p>
A closely fought (27-20) battle between NFC North combatants Green Bay and Chicago may have contributed to some of the erosion on the broadcast nets. ESPN last night notched its second-highest Monday Night Football rating of 2013, averaging 16.1 million viewers and a 6.1 in the demo.</p>
<p>
Only the Sept. 9 MNF kickoff game put up bigger numbers for ESPN. The Eagles-Redskins telecast averaged 16.5 million viewers and a 6.6 in the dollar demo.</p>
Television2 Broke Girls2013-14 Broadcast TV SeasonAbcAlmost HumanBonesAnthony CrupiCastleCbsDancing with the StarsEspnFoxHostagesHow I Met Your MotherMike & MollyMOMMonday Night FootballNbcNetworksNovember SweepsPrime Time RatingsRatingsSleepy HollowSportsThe BlacklistThe VoiceWe Are MenTue, 05 Nov 2013 19:07:55 +0000153631 at http://www.adweek.comCBS Stems the Bleeding With Monday Comedy Switcheroohttp://www.adweek.com/news/television/cbs-stems-bleeding-monday-comedy-switcheroo-153146
Anthony Crupi<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/2-broke-girls-hed-2013.jpg"> <p>
In <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/we-are-dead-men-cbs-kills-freshman-comedy-153028" target="_blank">killing off</a> the underperforming We Are Men and shifting 2 Broke Girls to the 8:30 p.m. time slot, CBS appears to have halted its Monday night skid. That said, the year-ago comparisons are a stark reminder of how quickly a prime-time lineup can lose its footing.</p>
<p>
According to Nielsen live-plus-same-day data, CBS&rsquo; two-hour comedy block showed a slight uptick from a week ago, averaging a 2.5 rating among adults 18-49, an improvement of 9 percent versus a 2.3. How I Met Your Mother started strong with a 3.1 rating, up from last week&rsquo;s 3.0, while the relocated <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/2_broke_girls/" target="_blank">2 Broke Girls</a> delivered a 2.6 in the demo, up three-tenths of a point from its final 9 p.m. showing.</p>
<p>
An encore presentation of <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/big-bang-theory-gets-highest-ad-rates-outside-nfl-153087" target="_blank">The Big Bang Theory</a> drew a 2.2 rating, down a tenth versus 2 Broke Girl&rsquo;s Oct. 7 performance, while new comedy Mom dipped 5 percent to a series-low 2.0.</p>
<p>
<a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/hostages/" target="_blank">Hostages</a> remained unchanged at 10 p.m., averaging 5.16 million viewers and a 1.2 in the demo. While these are particularly poor ratings by CBS&rsquo; lofty standards, the C3 ratings may very well ensure that Hostages will live to see its entire 13-episode run. (According to the <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/sleepy-hollow-agents-shield-enjoy-c3-ratings-boost-153120" target="_blank">first batch of currency data</a>, the series premiere improved 17 percent upon application of DVR playback and commercial ratings. If Hostages can continue adding viewers who actually watch the ads, it will live to fight another day.)</p>
<p>
For all that, the year-over-year comparisons are disconcerting. On Oct. 15, 2012, HIMYM, <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/cbs-breaks-partners-145276" target="_blank">Partners</a>, 2 Broke Girls and Mike &amp; Molly averaged a 2.9 in the demo, while Hawaii Five-0 delivered a 2.1. All told, CBS last night averaged a 2.2 rating, down 21 percent from the year-ago 2.8.</p>
<p>
While Fox showed marked year-over-year improvement, growing 50 percent to a 2.4 in the dollar demo, direct comparisons are a bit dicey. A year ago, Fox&rsquo;s coverage of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series averaged just 5.58 million viewers and a 1.6 rating. (While the Cards-Giants series went all the way down to the wire, this particular outing was a dud. By the fourth inning, San Francisco already had a cushy five-run lead; they&rsquo;d go on to win 7-1.)</p>
<p>
At any rate, both Fox dramas showed some slippage, with Bones dipping 5 percent to a 2.0 and <a href="http://www.fox.com/sleepy-hollow/" target="_blank">Sleepy Hollow</a> tumbling 4 percent to a series-low 2.7. Having already been picked up for a second season and boasting the <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/sleepy-hollow-agents-shield-enjoy-c3-ratings-boost-153120" target="_blank">strongest live-same-day to C3 deliveries</a>, the setback is no cause for concern to Sleepy enthusiasts.</p>
<p>
NBC&rsquo;s seemingly unstoppable [twirling] musical chairs juggernaut suffered only minor erosion, falling one-tenth of a point versus last week&rsquo;s installment with a 4.5 rating. As has been the case throughout the season, The Voice dominated every ratings category, boasting particularly strong deliveries among women 18-49 (5.7) and 25-54 (7.0).</p>
<p>
Rounding out the night for the Peacock was its new procedural, <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/nbc-shines-first-day-fall-tv-season-152686" target="_blank">The Blacklist</a>, which was flat with a 3.0. While the James Spader vehicle is the No. 2 new drama series behind ABC&rsquo;s Marvel&rsquo;s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., its half-hour erosion patterns remain a puzzle. Per Nielsen, The Blacklist fell from a 3.4 in the 9-9:30 p.m. slot to a 3.0 in the final half-hour. In previous weeks, the split was 3.5/2.9, 3.8/3.3 and 4.1/3.5.</p>
<p>
The Blacklist also faced competition from ESPN&rsquo;s Monday Night Football (4.7) and, to a lesser extent, TBS&rsquo; coverage of Game 3 of the NLCS battle between the Cards and Dodgers (1.3).&nbsp;</p>
<p>
ABC did its usual big-reach/low-demo waltz with Dancing With the Stars; with an average draw of 13 million viewers and a 2.1 rating, only 21 percent of the DWTS audience landed in the 18-49 demo. No surprise, really: with a median age of 62.1 years, Stars is the second oldest-skewing show on broadcast television, behind CBS&rsquo; Friday night cop show Blue Bloods (62.6).</p>
<p>
At 10 p.m., <a href="http://abc.go.com/shows/castle" target="_blank">Castle</a>&nbsp;was up 16 percent with a 2.2.</p>
Television2 Broke Girls2013-14 Broadcast TV SeasonAbcBonesCastleAnthony CrupiDancing with the StarsFoxHostagesHow I Met Your MotherJames SpaderMike & MollyMOMNbcNetworksPrime Time RatingsRatingsSleepy HollowThe Big Bang TheoryThe BlacklistThe VoiceWe Are MenTue, 15 Oct 2013 18:41:23 +0000153146 at http://www.adweek.comHostages, We Are Men on the Ropes http://www.adweek.com/news/television/hostages-we-are-men-ropes-152992
Anthony Crupi<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/hostages-hed-2013.jpg"> <p>
NBC once again coasted to an effortless victory Monday night, as The Voice-Blacklist battery thumped the broadcast competition.</p>
<p>
According to Nielsen live-plus-same-day data, the season&rsquo;s fifth installment of The Voice delivered 14.6 million viewers and a 4.6 in the adults 18-49 demo, slipping one-tenth of a ratings point versus last week&rsquo;s broadcast. At 10 p.m., <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/nbc-shines-first-day-fall-tv-season-152686" target="_blank">The Blacklist</a> continued its winning ways, scaring up 11.2 million total viewers and a 3.1 in the demo, down 6 percent from the 3.3 it delivered a week ago.</p>
<p>
This marks the third consecutive Monday night sweep for NBC, which dominated the field with an average draw of 12.9 million viewers and a 3.9 rating. The Peacock took every significant demographic, including adults 25-54 (5.1), women 18-49 (5.0) and men 18-49 (3.1).</p>
<p>
As NBC took another victory lap, things were decidedly less celebratory at CBS. The network finished third among the Big Four in the 18-49 demo (2.1) and last among adults 25-54 (2.4), as its Monday night comedy block and new serialized drama Hostages demonstrated further erosion.</p>
<p>
Leading off the night at 8 p.m., the outgoing comedy How I Met Your Mother slipped one-tenth of a point to a 3.0 rating, while freshman lead-out <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/blue-monday-cbs-comedies-hostages-struggle-152828" target="_blank">We Are Men</a> fell another 10 percent to a shaky 1.8. By way of comparison, the year-ago time slot occupant, Partners, lasted six weeks before it dropped south of a 2.0 rating, whereupon <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/blue-monday-cbs-comedies-hostages-struggle-152828" target="_blank">CBS pulled the plug</a>. Look for Mike &amp; Molly to fill the 8:30 p.m. gap after We Are Men is inevitably yanked from the schedule.</p>
<p>
At 9 p.m., 2 Broke Girls notched a 2.3 rating, while newcomer <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/mom/" target="_blank">Mom</a> dipped a tenth to a 2.1, down 25 percent from Mike &amp; Molly&rsquo;s year-ago 2.8 rating.</p>
<p>
Compounding CBS&rsquo; troubles is <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/hostages/" target="_blank">Hostages</a>, which stumbled another three-tenths of a point to a 1.2 rating, which in itself was barely good enough to beat the series premiere of Univision&rsquo;s Mentir Para Vivir (1.0). Hostages&rsquo; overall deliveries marked a 39 percent drop versus the year-ago installment of Hawaii Five-0.</p>
<p>
To put Hostages&rsquo; woes into context, the canceled series Golden Boy notched its series-low 1.2 rating in its final two episodes. Even a 50 percent lift in DVR deliveries would only bring last night&rsquo;s Hostages up to a sub-par 1.8 rating; as such, it&rsquo;s becoming harder to imagine how the show&rsquo;s entire 13-episode arc will play out&mdash;barring a slot swap with Hawaii Five-0 (Friday, 9 p.m.).</p>
<p>
Elsewhere, Fox finished second in the demo as Bones and <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/visit-set-fox-s-sleepy-hollow-152428" target="_blank">Sleepy Hollow</a> experienced some slippage. The veteran medical-procedural hybrid delivered a 2.1 in the dollar demo, down a hair from the previous week, while the <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/fox-renews-sleepy-hollow-152873" target="_blank">recently renewed Sleepy</a> averaged a 2.8 rating, down 7 percent.</p>
<p>
Fox projects that Sleepy will rise as high as a 4.4 upon application of three days of DVR viewing; in any case, the show remains Fox&rsquo;s biggest new fall drama series since 24 bowed in November 2001.</p>
<p>
Sleepy is now being used to promote the upcoming J.J. Abrams genre mashup, <a href="http://www.fox.com/almost-human/" target="_blank">Almost Human</a>, which premieres Nov. 4 in the slot now occupied by Bones.</p>
<p>
Because of NFL pre-emptions on the ABC affiliate in Atlanta, the preliminary ratings for <a href="http://abc.go.com/shows/dancing-with-the-stars" target="_blank">Dancing With the Stars</a> and Castle were somewhat inflated. That said, per the L+SD numbers, DWTS averaged 13 million viewers and a 2.0 in the demo, flat versus a week ago, while Castle slipped 14 percent to a 1.9 rating.</p>
<p>
Meanwhile, the CW continued to roll out its 2013-14 lineup, bowing <a href="http://www.cwtv.com/shows/hart-of-dixie" target="_blank">Hart of Dixie</a> to 1.03 million viewers and a 0.4 rating among adults 18-34, while Beauty and the Beast returned to approximately 860,000 viewers and a 0.3. Hart of Dixie was down three-tenths of a point from its year-ago premiere, while Beauty plummeted an alarming 73 percent from its series premiere (a 1.1 on Oct. 11, 2012).</p>
<p>
Both Hart and Beauty were off two-tenths of a point from their respective year-ago seasonal averages. Naturally, both series will see a significant lift upon application of the relevant time-shifted data, be it via DVR, VOD or streaming.</p>
<p>
Through Oct. 6, NBC is in first place among the adults 18-49 demo, up 4 percent versus the year-ago period with a 2.9 rating. CBS is in second, flat with a 2.4; ABC is up 4 percent to a 2.2; and Fox is down 16 percent to a 2.0.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
CBS leads all comers in total viewers (10.6 million), followed by NBC (9.22 million), ABC (7.68 million) and Fox (5.42 million). The most-watched network is also tops among the adults 25-54 demo, flat versus the year-ago period with a 3.2 rating.</p>
Television2 Broke Girls2013-14 Broadcast TV SeasonAbcBeauty & the BeastBonesAnthony CrupiCbsDancing with the StarsFoxHart of DixieHawaii Five-0HostagesHow I Met Your MotherMike & MollyMOMNbcNetworksPartnersPrime Time RatingsRatingsSleepy HollowThe BlacklistThe CWThe VoiceWe Are MenTue, 08 Oct 2013 17:23:18 +0000152992 at http://www.adweek.comBlue Monday for CBS as Comedies, Hostages Strugglehttp://www.adweek.com/news/television/blue-monday-cbs-comedies-hostages-struggle-152828
Anthony Crupi<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/we-are-men-hed-2013.jpg"> <p>
Two weeks into the 2013-14 broadcast season and CBS&rsquo; Monday night lineup is looking decidedly unsteady, as struggling new and returning comedies are doing little to bolster the 10 p.m. hour.</p>
<p>
According to Nielsen live-plus-same-day data, the core of CBS&rsquo; two-hour comedy block is beginning to show signs of deterioration. While <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/how_i_met_your_mother/" target="_blank">How I Met Your Mother</a> put up solid numbers at 8 p.m. (7.87 million viewers and a 3.1 in the adults 18-49 demo), the rest of the lineup dropped sharply from there. In losing 36 percent of its lead-in, the series premiere of <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/we-are-men/" target="_blank">We Are Men</a> now stands as the lowest-rated (2.0) in-season comedy debut in CBS&rsquo; history.</p>
<p>
By way of comparison, CBS last season premiered Partners in the We Are Men slot, drawing a 2.4 rating. <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/cbs-breaks-partners-145276" target="_blank">The show was canceled after six episodes</a>.</p>
<p>
At 9 p.m., 2 Broke Girls tied a series low with a 2.4 rating, down 14 percent from last week&rsquo;s Season 3 premiere. Chuck Lorre&rsquo;s new comedy, <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/mom/" target="_blank">Mom</a>, dropped 12 percent from a week ago, and while that&rsquo;s well within the expected range for a second episode, it&rsquo;s also down 24 percent versus the year-ago 2.9 delivered by former time slot occupant Mike &amp; Molly.</p>
<p>
After premiering last week to an <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/legends-fall-tv-season-152783" target="_blank">unspectacular</a> 7.41 million viewers and a 1.8 in the demo, CBS&rsquo; episodic thriller Hostages returned to just 5.96 million viewers and a 1.5 rating. While the pilot jumped 50 percent to a 2.7 upon application of three days of DVR playback, Hostages does not look long for this world.</p>
<p>
All told, CBS averaged a 2.2 rating on the night, down 21 percent versus the year-ago 2.8.</p>
<p>
NBC continues to dominate Mondays with The Voice and newcomer <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/nbc-shines-first-day-fall-tv-season-152686" target="_blank">The Blacklist</a>, beating all comers with an average draw of 12.7 million viewers and a 4.0 in the dollar demo. The Voice averaged 14.1 million viewers and a 4.7 rating from 8-10 p.m. down 8 percent from last week, while The Blacklist held up nicely at 10 p.m., averaging 11.4 million viewers and a 3.3 in the demo&mdash;a retention rate of 87 percent week to week.</p>
<p>
If there are any weaknesses in The Blacklist&rsquo;s performance, it&rsquo;s that it doesn&rsquo;t do a fantastic job of holding on to its audience from one half hour to the next. (The show&rsquo;s 18-49 rating dropped 16 percent as the night progressed.)</p>
<p>
One show that has no trouble keeping viewers tuned in is Fox&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/visit-set-fox-s-sleepy-hollow-152428" target="_blank">Sleepy Hollow</a>. Not only did the third episode retain 97 percent of its prior-week demo (3.0, down a tick from a 3.1), but the audience actually grew as the night progressed. After drawing a 2.9 in the demo during the first half hour, Sleepy inched up a notch to a 3.0 rating.</p>
<p>
Sleepy also improved upon its Bones lead-in by 36 percent.</p>
<p>
While a renewal may be a few weeks off&mdash;Fox last winter waited for six weeks of ratings data before committing to a second season of its midseason hit <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/fox-renews-following-new-girl-mindy-project-raising-hope-147694" target="_blank">The Following</a>&mdash;with an overall retention of 86 percent versus the <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/sleepy-hollow-scares-huge-ratings-fox-152484" target="_blank">series premiere</a>, Sleepy Hollow is all but certain to find a spot on the 2014-15 roster.</p>
<p>
Fox closed out the night with an average 2.6 rating, marking a 63 percent improvement versus the year-ago 1.6.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
With a median age of 61.9 years, ABC&rsquo;s <a href="http://abc.go.com/shows/dancing-with-the-stars" target="_blank">Dancing With the Stars</a> is one of the oldest-skewing shows on TV. At the same time, it&rsquo;s also a reliable reach vehicle, drawing 13.1 million viewers in the 8-10 p.m. slot. DWTS earned a predictably huge rating with viewers 50+ (9.3, down two-tenths from last week&rsquo;s 9.5), but in the advertiser-friendly 18-49 demo, last night&rsquo;s installment drew just a 2.0.</p>
<p>
Lead-out <a href="http://abc.go.com/shows/castle" target="_blank">Castle</a>&nbsp;was flat, delivering 10.9 million viewers and a 2.2 rating. ABC averaged a 2.1 rating on the night, up one-tenth of a point from a year ago.</p>
Television2 Broke Girls2013-14 Broadcast TV SeasonAbcBonesCastleAnthony CrupiDancing with the StarsFoxHostagesHow I Met Your MotherMike & MollyMOMNbcNetworksPrime Time RatingsRatingsSleepy HollowThe BlacklistThe FollowingThe VoiceWe Are MenTue, 01 Oct 2013 18:41:10 +0000152828 at http://www.adweek.comNBC Shines in First Day of Fall TV Seasonhttp://www.adweek.com/news/television/nbc-shines-first-day-fall-tv-season-152686
Anthony Crupi<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/the-blacklist-episodic-hed2-2013.jpg"> <p>
The echo of the starter&rsquo;s gun is still reverberating in the runners&rsquo; eardrums, and already the 2013-14 network ratings race promises to be a stunner.</p>
<p>
NBC played the spoiler on the first night of the new broadcast TV season, as <a href="http://www.nbc.com/the-voice/" target="_blank">The Voice</a> returned with a flourish, providing a strong lead-in for the new James Spader drama The Blacklist. Per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data, Cycle 5 of The Voice bowed to 15.0 million viewers and a 5.1 in the 18-49 demo, marking a 21 percent increase versus last fall&rsquo;s premiere (4.2).</p>
<p>
The return of the original Voice crew helped NBC run the table in the demos, beating all comers from 8 pm-10 pm with a 6.2 rating among women 18-49, a 3.6 with men 18-49 and a 6.1 among the 25-54 crowd.</p>
<p>
If the stellar start for The Voice came as a pleasant surprise at 30 Rock, the performance of <a href="http://www.nbc.com/the-blacklist/" target="_blank">The Blacklist</a> was downright staggering. The Spader procedural scared up 12.6 million viewers and a 3.8 in the dollar demo, topping Revolution&rsquo;s year-ago deliveries (11.7 million viewers), while lagging slightly in the demo.</p>
<p>
Significantly, The Blacklist made short work of CBS&rsquo; freshman thriller <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/hostages/" target="_blank">Hostages</a>. The Dylan McDermott-Toni Collette drama averaged just 7.41 million viewers and a 1.8 in the demo, making it CBS&rsquo; lowest-rated 10 p.m. premiere since last season&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.adweek.com/node/147586" target="_blank">Golden Boy</a> (10.6 million, 1.8).</p>
<p>
Hostages delivered a disappointing 2.5 rating in the guaranteed adults 25-54 demo, and while CBS projects that the DVR will help give the show a boost&mdash;three days of playback could provide as much as a 33 percent lift&mdash;the preliminary numbers do not portend a long, happy life for the serialized drama.</p>
<p>
It&rsquo;s worth noting that neither show did a particularly good job of holding on to its respective audience. After posting a 4.1 in the demo from 10-10:30 pm, The Blacklist fell 15 percent to a 3.5. Hostages also drooped in the second half-hour, losing 12 percent of its target demo (2.3, down from a 2.6) and 15 percent of the 18-49 cohort (1.7, from a 2.0).</p>
<p>
Earlier in the evening, Fox&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/visit-set-fox-s-sleepy-hollow-152428" target="_blank">Sleepy Hollow</a> returned to a very strong 8.59 million viewers and a 3.1 in the demo, which translates to an 89 percent retention rate when compared to the premiere&rsquo;s 3.5 rating. Despite going up against much stiffer competition in The Voice, Dancing with the Stars and 2 Broke Girls/Mom, Sleepy held its own, making it a safe bet for an early renewal.</p>
<p>
<a href="http://www.fox.com/sleepy-hollow/" target="_blank">Sleepy</a> also retained 100 percent of its demo from one half-hour to the next.</p>
<p>
Speaking of <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/mom/" target="_blank">Mom</a>, Chuck Lorre&rsquo;s latest CBS sitcom didn&rsquo;t quite meet early expectations. Leading out of 2 Broke Girls, the <a href="https://twitter.com/annafaris" target="_blank">Anna Faris</a> comedy drew 7.99 million viewers, a 3.2 in the 25-54 demo and a 2.5 with the 18-49 set. Mom had the unfortunate distinction of bowing when The Voice was at its apex; from 9:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., NBC&rsquo;s flagship show averaged 15.8 million viewers and a 5.5 in the 18-49 demo.</p>
<p>
Mom was down 19 percent versus the year-ago Mike &amp; Molly premiere (3.1).</p>
<p>
Returning CBS comedy <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/how_i_met_your_mother/" target="_blank">How I Met Your Mother</a> prepared for its final lap by delivering 9.40 million viewers and a 3.7 rating, up one-tenth of a point from the Season 8 premiere. Meanwhile, 2 Broke Girls dropped 24 percent in the demo (2.8, down from last season&rsquo;s 3.7).</p>
<p>
ABC&rsquo;s veteran series were a mixed bag, as Dancing with the Stars plummeted 26 percent to a 2.3 rating, while <a href="http://abc.go.com/shows/castle" target="_blank">Castle</a> returned to a 2.2, up 5 percent versus last season&rsquo;s opener.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
For all the handwringing over the <a href="https://twitter.com/maskedscheduler/status/382486003992104960" target="_blank">death of broadcast television</a>, Night 1 of the 2013-14 campaign drew 46.8 million viewers across the six broadcast nets, up 4.1 million, or 10 percent, versus the year-ago 42.7 million. The average 18-49 rating also improved 10 percent.</p>
Television2 Broke Girls2013-14 Broadcast TV SeasonAbcBonesCastleAnthony CrupiDancing with the StarsFoxHostagesHow I Met Your MotherMOMNbcNetworksPrime Time RatingsRatingsSleepy HollowThe BlacklistThe VoiceTue, 24 Sep 2013 17:30:00 +0000152686 at http://www.adweek.comThe 5 Time Slot Showdowns Will Look Like Thishttp://www.adweek.com/news/television/5-time-slot-showdowns-will-look-149651
Anthony Crupi<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/fea-nightly-show-downs-01-2013.jpg"> <p>
Now that the Tetris tiles of the 2013&ndash;14 TV schedule have dropped into place, a number of intriguing programming showdowns await. With 51 new scripted series slated to premiere in the coming season, the newcomers will be fighting for their lives against established hits and fellow freshman shows. Here are the five time slots that are likely to kick up the most dust: &nbsp;</p>
<p>
<strong>Monday </strong>9-10<b>&nbsp;</b>PM&nbsp;<br />
<strong>Sleepy Hollow</strong> (Fox) vs. <strong>The Voice</strong> (NBC) vs. <strong>Dancing With the Stars</strong> (ABC) vs. <strong>Mom </strong>and <strong>Two Broke Girls</strong> (CBS).<br />
Familiarity may breed contempt, but doubling down on The Voice hasn&rsquo;t eroded its popularity&mdash;yet. Meanwhile, there&rsquo;s nothing at all familiar about the deliriously over-the-top Sleepy Hollow, which features a homicidal headless equestrian and George Washington&rsquo;s secret Bible. NBC will win the hour handily over DVR-bait Sleepy, CBS&rsquo; comedy battery and the creaky DWTS.<br />
<br />
<strong>Monday </strong>10-11 PM<br />
<strong>The Blacklist</strong> (NBC) vs. <strong>Hostages/Intelligence</strong>&nbsp;<strong strong="">(CBS) </strong><strong strong="">vs.</strong><strong strong=""> </strong><strong strong="">Castle</strong>&nbsp;(ABC).<br />
CBS&rsquo; scorched-earth policy pits its suspenseful new fall drama against NBC&rsquo;s ambiguous thriller, its most intriguing freshman series. CBS will win, because win is what it does, although ABC will continue to dominate with women 25-54.<br />
<br />
<strong>Tuesday </strong>8-9&nbsp;PM<br />
<strong>Marvel&rsquo;s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.</strong> (ABC) vs. <strong>NCIS</strong> (CBS) vs. <strong>Dads</strong> and <strong>Brooklyn Nine-Nine</strong> (Fox).<br />
The unsinkable NCIS will win the war for total reach, but it&rsquo;s unlikely that any broadcast show can touch Joss Whedon&rsquo;s S.H.I.E.L.D. among the 18-49 set. Gentlemen, start your DVRs&mdash;since the Fox comedies (respectively, Seth MacFarlane and Andy Samberg vehicles) will almost certainly overlap S.H.I.E.L.D. among younger males, time-shifted viewing will be particularly significant in the hour.<br />
<br />
<strong>Tuesday </strong>9-10 PM<br />
(Midseason) <strong>New Girl</strong>&nbsp;and <strong>The Mindy Project</strong> (Fox) vs.<strong>About a Boy</strong>&lt; and <strong>The Family Guide</strong> (NBC) vs.<strong>The Goldbergs</strong> and <strong>Trophy Wife</strong> (ABC).<br />
When these three networks constructed a similar comedy roadblock in the 2012-13 season, a war of attrition broke out, leaving Fox&rsquo;s female-skewing sitcoms the sole survivors. Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it; although the competition is much tougher than it was a year ago, look for Fox to eke out another narrow victory over the newbies.<br />
<br />
<strongthursday strong=""><strong>Thursday</strong> 8-9&nbsp;PM<br />
<strong>Once Upon a Time in Wonderland</strong> (ABC) vs. <strong>The Big Bang Theory</strong> and <strong>The Millers</strong> (CBS) vs. <strong>Parks and Recreation</strong> and <strong>Welcome to the Family</strong> (NBC).<br />
While it&rsquo;s disheartening that Margo Martindale ditched FX (The Americans, Justified) for this crass comedy from Raising Hope creator Greg Garcia, CBS viewers seem to actively enjoy jokes about breaking wind and, uh, roughing up the suspect. Good thing, too, because The Millers is particularly enamored with both strains of bodily-emission yuks. Of course, in the post-Big Bang Theory slot, CBS could just as well air 22 minutes of drowning-puppy footage and still pull a 4.0, and NBC&rsquo;s new sitcom Welcome to the Family probably won&rsquo;t do anything to change that. ABC will exorcise its demons with the Once Upon a Time spinoff, but Wonderland isn&rsquo;t expected to take any share away from CBS.</strongthursday></p>
Television2013-14 UpfrontAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.CableCastleCbsAnthony CrupiMagazine ContentNbcNetworksNew GirlParks and RecreationRatingsThe Big Bang TheoryThe BlacklistThe Family GuideThe Mindy ProjectThe VoiceThrophy WifeTwo Broke GirlsUpfrontUpfrontsMon, 20 May 2013 03:13:40 +0000149651 at http://www.adweek.comNevermore: The Following Dispels TV’s Freshman Cursehttp://www.adweek.com/news/television/nevermore-following-dispels-tv-s-freshman-curse-146867
Anthony Crupi<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/the-following-fox-poe-hed-2013.jpg"> <p>
Fox&rsquo;s pitch-black new crime drama <a href="http://www.fox.com/programming/shows/?sh=the-following" target="_blank"><em>The Following</em></a> on Monday night became the first freshman series of the class of 2012-13 to actually improve on its premiere ratings.</p>
<p>
Per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data, Episode 2 of <em>The Following</em> delivered 10.1 million viewers and averaged a 3.3 rating in the 18-49 demo. While there was a negligible decline in total viewers&mdash;Monday&rsquo;s audience dipped 3 percent versus the premiere&rsquo;s 10.4 million&mdash;the dollar demo grew one-tenth of a point from <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/fox-carves-big-ratings-following-146701" target="_blank">a 3.2 on Jan. 21</a>.</p>
<p>
Upon examination of the half-hour numbers, it appears that <em>The Following</em> retained 95 percent of its overall deliveries in the 9:30-10 p.m. time slot. Some 10.2 million viewers tuned in for the beginning of the second installment, and 9.69 million stayed aboard through the end credits.</p>
<p>
The guaranteed rating demonstrated a similar trend, shrinking just 6 percent from a 3.4 in the demo to a 3.2 between the two half-hour segments.</p>
<p>
While critics have savaged <em>The Following</em> for its graphic content, the success of <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/networks-hope-find-following-145342" target="_blank">similarly bloody-minded fare</a> on ad-supported cable seems to support the assertion that there are an awful lot of viewers who actively seek out more graphic content. (Not for nothing was AMC&rsquo;s <em>The Walking Dead</em> TV&rsquo;s top-rated scripted series this fall.)</p>
<p>
The early success of <em>The Following</em> gives Fox a much-needed shot in the arm after so many of the network&rsquo;s recent Monday night dramas (<em>Alcatraz</em>, <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/terra-nova-extinct-138769" target="_blank"><em>Terra Nova</em></a>, <em>Lone Star</em>, <em>The Chicago Code</em>) have faltered.</p>
<p>
And there&rsquo;s no understating how <em>The Following</em> has bucked broadcast&rsquo;s withering follow-up trend. Four new dramas lost as much as 20 percent of their premiere demos in Week 2, including ABC&rsquo;s <em>Nashville</em> (down 29 percent, from a 2.8 to a 2.0); NBC&rsquo;s <em>Chicago Fire</em> (down 21 percent from a 1.9 to a 1.5) and <em>Deception</em> (down 20 percent from a 2.0 to a 1.6); and <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/vote-confidence-cbs-gives-full-season-orders-vegas-elementary-144722" target="_blank">CBS&rsquo; <em>Vegas</em></a> (down 20 percent from 2.5 to 2.0). CBS took a similar hit with its guaranteed deliveries, as <em>Vegas</em> dropped from a 3.6 rating among adults 25-54 in its premiere to a 2.9 the following week, a decline of 19 percent.</p>
<p>
As for the two other midseason dramas on the Monday prime-time slate, the news was somewhat mixed. <a href="http://www.cwtv.com/shows/the-carrie-diaries" target="_blank"><em>The Carrie Diaries </em></a>improved from a 0.8 in the women 18-34 demo on Jan. 21 to a 1.0 last night, while the fourth installment of NBC&rsquo;s new potboiler, <em>Deception</em>, continued to lose ground after premiering to a 2.0 on Jan. 7. Last night&rsquo;s episode averaged a&nbsp;1.2 in the dollar demo, tying it for second place with an&nbsp;encore presentation of the CBS drama <em>Hawaii Five-0</em>.</p>
Television2012-13 TV SeasonAbcAlcatrazAmcCastleAnthony CrupiChicago FireDeceptionFoxHawaii Five-0Lone StarNashvilleNbcNetworksRatingsRatingsTerra NovaThe Carrie DiariesThe Chicago CodeThe CWThe FollowingThe Walking DeadVegasTue, 29 Jan 2013 20:11:41 +0000146867 at http://www.adweek.comNBC Wins Opening Night Ratings Brawlhttp://www.adweek.com/news/television/nbc-wins-opening-night-ratings-brawl-143981
Anthony Crupi<img src="http://www.adweek.com/files/imagecache/node-detail/news_article/the-voice-nbc-episodic-hed-2012.jpg"> <p>
NBC won the first ratings skirmish of the 2012-13 broadcast TV season, as <em>The Voice</em> and <em>Revolution</em> ran the table against CBS&rsquo; comedy-drama stew.</p>
<p>
Per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data, NBC ran away with the demo, averaging a 3.9 rating among adults 18-to-49. CBS took second with a 3.2, followed by ABC (2.3), Fox (1.8) and Univision (1.5).&nbsp;</p>
<p>
While down from last Monday&rsquo;s 4.7 rating, <em>The Voice</em> was the top program in the dollar demo, notching a 4.4. The NBC anchor peaked in its final half hour, averaging 12.9 million viewers and a 4.8 rating from 9:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.</p>
<p>
CBS&rsquo; revamped comedy slate took its lumps against<em> The Voice</em>. While <em>How I Met Your Mother</em> put up solid numbers at the top of the night (8.84 million viewers/3.6 rating), the new comedy <em>Partners</em> opened to just 6.56 million viewers and a 2.4 rating in the lead-out slot.</p>
<p>
That weak debut casts a pall over <em>Partners</em>, which occupies the slot formerly held by last season&rsquo;s breakout comedy <em>2 Broke Girls</em>. Recall that CBS last year canceled <em>How to Be a Gentleman</em> after just two episodes, and that series actually bowed to slightly stronger numbers (8.98 million viewers and a 2.7 rating).</p>
<p>
In its new 9 p.m. slot,<em> 2 Broke Girls</em> earned CBS&rsquo; biggest deliveries on the night, averaging 10.1 million viewers and a 3.7 in the dollar demo. While that was down considerably from its massive series premiere on Sept. 19, 2011 (19.4 million viewers/7.1 rating), last year&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/viewers-flock-sheen-free-two-and-half-men-134991" target="_blank"><em>Girls</em> benefited from a <em>Two and a Half Men</em> lead-in</a> (28.7 million/10.7) that was further primed by the Sheen-Kutcher switcheroo.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
From 8-10 p.m., ABC&rsquo;s <em>Dancing With the Stars: All-Stars</em> notched a 2.5 in the demo, down 38 percent from last fall&rsquo;s premiere. (The Sept. 19, 2011 launch of <em>DWTS</em>&rsquo;s 13th cycle scared up 19 million viewers and a 4.0 rating.)</p>
<p>
Meanwhile, Fox continued to struggle with its Monday night roster, as the second installment of <a href="http://www.fox.com/the-mob-doctor/" target="_blank"><em>The Mob Doctor</em></a> slumped to an unsustainable 3.85 million viewers and a 1.3 in the demo. At this early stage in the game, it&rsquo;s all but certain that we&rsquo;ll see two of the three new Monday series get whacked before Columbus Day.</p>
<p>
NBC kept its hitting streak alive at 10 p.m., winning the hour with the second episode of <em>Revolution</em>. While ABC&rsquo;s <em>Castle</em> drew more viewers (10.5 million to 9.21 million), <em>Revolution</em> marched off with the demo, earning a 3.4 to ABC&rsquo;s 2.1.</p>
<p>
While <em>Revolution</em> was off 17 percent from its <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/lights-are-out-and-everybody-s-home-143808" target="_blank">premiere rating (4.1)</a>, that&rsquo;s well within the expected attrition rate for a second episode. And the newbie practically tripled the deliveries of year-ago time slot occupant <em>The Playboy Club</em>, which in its second installment notched a meager 3.97 million viewers and a 1.3 rating. (The misbegotten period piece would be canceled after its third broadcast.) &nbsp;</p>
<p>
Also cause for concern at CBS is <em>Hawaii Five-0</em>, which returned for its third season to a very soft 8.06 million viewers and a 1.8 in the demo, down 28 percent from its Season 2 average (2.5).</p>
<p>
Tonight promises to be a free-for-all, as CBS brings out the big guns with the season premieres of <em>NCIS</em> and <em>NCIS: Los Angeles</em>, followed by the series debut of the Dennis Quaid-Michael Chiklis Sin City drama <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/vegas" target="_blank"><em>Vegas</em></a>. NBC rolls out new installments of <em>The Voice</em>, <em>Go On</em>, <em>The New Normal</em> and <em>Parenthood</em>, while Fox unveils its two-hour comedy block:&nbsp;<em>New Girl</em>, <em>Ben and Kate</em>, <em>New Girl</em> and <em>The Mindy Project</em>. (<em>Raising Hope </em>assumes the 8 p.m. slot starting Oct. 2.)</p>
<p>
ABC will counter with another two-hour installment of <em>DWTS</em> and the season premiere of <em>Private Practice</em>. The 9-10 p.m. slot officially becomes a <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/prime-time-matchup-140662?page=2" target="_blank">comedy road block</a> on Oct. 23, when ABC returns <em>Happy Endings</em> and <em>Don&rsquo;t Trust the B---- in Apt. 23</em> opposite <em>Go On</em>/<em>The New Normal</em> and <em>New Girl</em>/<em>The Mindy Project</em>.&nbsp;</p>
Television2 Broke Girls2012-13 TV SeasonAbcCastleCbsAnthony CrupiFoxHawaii Five-0How I Met Your MotherNbcNetworksPartnersRatingsRatingsRevolutionThe Mob DoctorThe VoiceTue, 25 Sep 2012 17:18:41 +0000143981 at http://www.adweek.comBattle Royale: ‘Voice’ and ‘DWTS’ Square Off http://www.adweek.com/news/television/battle-royale-voice-and-dwts-square-139092
Anthony Crupi<p>
Already packed like a rush-hour subway car, Monday night became even more dangerously overcrowded with the return of <em>Dancing With the Stars</em>.</p>
<p>
Back for its 14th cycle, ABC&rsquo;s competition series averaged 18.8 million viewers and a 3.5 in the adults 18-to-49 demo, marking a significant 34 percent drop versus last spring&rsquo;s opener.</p>
<p>
Per Nielsen live-plus-same-day ratings, <em>DWTS</em> grew steadily from start to finish, improving 9 percent from 17.4 million viewers at 9 p.m. to 19.1 million in the final half-hour episode. The demo grew proportionately, starting at a 3.3 rating before ending with a 3.6.</p>
<p>
While <em>DWTS</em> beat NBC&rsquo;s powerhouse <em>The Voice</em> in total viewers, ABC lagged well behind its rival in the all-important demographic. After averaging 12 million total viewers, <em>The Voice</em> won the night with a season-low 4.6 in the dollar demo&ndash;&ndash;down 12 percent from last week&rsquo;s 5.2.</p>
<p>
As was the case with the <em>DWTS</em> premiere, <em>The Voice</em> continued to build up steam as the night wore on, growing 11 percent in total viewers (11.2 million to 12.3 million). More importantly, <em>The Voice</em> enjoyed a 23 percent lift in the 18-to-49 demo, swelling from a 4.0 in the first half-hour to a 4.9 in the final 30 minutes.</p>
<p>
The disparity between ABC&rsquo;s huge deliveries and its relatively modest demo performance is a function of the older-skewing, less hip&nbsp;<em>DWTS</em> fan base. The cast holds up a mirror to the show&rsquo;s target audience; this year&rsquo;s hoofing hopefuls include&nbsp;<a href="http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/marketing-predictions-season-14-cast-dancing-stars-139069" target="_blank">Jaleel White (Urkel!), Jack Wagner and Gladys Knight</a>.</p>
<p>
Last season, <em>DWTS</em> posted a median age of 57 years, making it the second-oldest show on Monday night. NBC&rsquo;s <em>Harry&rsquo;s Law</em> had a median age of 58 years in the 10 p.m. slot. Meanwhile, <em>The Voice</em> is the youngest-skewing program on Monday night, boasting a dewy median age of 43 years.&nbsp;</p>
<p>
<a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/fox/voices-carry-nbc-adds-another-hour-reality-hit-138813" target="_blank"><em>The Voice</em> will open a second front against <em>DWTS</em></a> on April 3, when NBC will launch a third hour in the Tuesday 9 p.m. slot. For six weeks, the additional serving of <em>The Voice</em> will go head-to-head with the <em>DWTS</em> results show, which returns March 27 in the slot formerly occupied by <em>The River</em>.</p>
<p>
CBS&rsquo; comedy block appeared to falter against the <em>DWTS</em>-<em>Voice</em> juggernaut, although the network rallied in the 9 p.m. hour. At the top of the night, <em>How I Met Your Mother</em> fell to a season-low 3.5 in the demo, while <em>2 Broke Girls</em> took an 11 percent hit, falling to a 3.5 rating.</p>
<p>
<em>Two and a Half Men</em> was up 6 percent to a 3.8 rating, while <em>Mike &amp; Molly</em> grew 7 percent versus its most recent new episode, averaging a 3.1 rating at 9:30 p.m.</p>
<p>
Fox&rsquo;s <em>Alcatraz</em> was flat versus the previous week with a 1.6 rating; with 5.04 million viewers, the series has now lost half of its Jan. 16 premiere audience (10.1 million viewers and a 3.3 in the demo).</p>
<p>
A weaker <em>Voice</em> stalled lead-out <em>Smash</em>, as the Broadway drama fell back to 6.56 million viewers and a 2.2 in the demo. For the first time since it premiered seven weeks ago, <em>Smash</em> finished last in the 10 p.m. time slot behind CBS&rsquo;s<em> Hawaii Five-0</em> (9.31 million/2.5) and ABC&rsquo;s <em>Castle</em> (11.5 million/2.3).</p>
<p>
The CW was in repeats.</p>
<p>
NBC won the night with a 3.8 rating in the demo, topping ABC and CBS (3.1), Fox (1.8) and Univision (1.6).</p>
<p>
While the <em>DWTS</em>-<em>Voice</em> battle may eventually peter out, the full-season ratings war shows no sign of flagging. Through the first 26 weeks of the 2011-12 broadcast season, Fox remains in the lead with a 3.3 rating, while CBS is averaging a 3.1. The fight for third place is even more harried, as NBC&rsquo;s lead over ABC has narrowed to one-tenth of a ratings point (2.6 to 2.5). Univision will take fifth with a 1.5, while The CW is on track to finish last with a 0.8.</p>
Television2 Broke GirlsAbcAlcatrazCastleCbsAnthony CrupiDWTSFoxHawaii Five-0How I Met Your MotherMike & MollyNbcNetworksRatingsSmashThe RiverThe VoiceTwo and a Half MenTue, 20 Mar 2012 20:47:06 +0000139092 at http://www.adweek.com‘Smash’ Stumbles in Second Acthttp://www.adweek.com/news/television/smash-stumbles-second-act-138246
Anthony Crupi<p>
A week after knocking off the season&rsquo;s highest ratings in the 10 p.m. slot, NBC&rsquo;s <em>Smash</em> fell to earth Monday night, losing more than a quarter of the dollar demo.</p>
<p>
According to final Nielsen data, <em>Smash</em> delivered a 2.8 in the 18-49 demo, down 26 percent from the 3.8 the show drew in its <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/television/smash-strikes-chord-viewers-138104" target="_blank">Feb. 6 series debut</a>. The second installment (&ldquo;The Callback&rdquo;) averaged 8.06 million viewers, marking a decline of 30 percent from last week&rsquo;s 11.4 million.</p>
<p>
<em>Smash</em> still managed to win its time slot, but the ratings drop made the race a lot tighter. CBS&rsquo; <em>Hawaii Five-0</em> drew a 2.7 rating in the 18-49 demo, while ABC&rsquo;s <em>Castle</em> averaged a 2.0.</p>
<p>
That <a href="http://www.nbc.com/smash/" target="_blank"><em>Smash</em></a> dropped as far as it did is worrisome, if not entirely surprising. After all, the premiere began losing viewers at a rapid clip after the first 15 minutes, plummeting from 14.1 million viewers and an 4.9 in the demo from 10 p.m.-10:15 p.m. to 10.1 million and a 3.4 in the final quarter.</p>
<p>
If <em>Smash</em> can put on the brakes, NBC can consider the show a triumph. As it stands now, the newbie is already a vast improvement over previous time slot occupants like <em>The Playboy Club</em> and <em>Rock Center With Brian Williams</em>, which combined for a paltry 1.1 in the demo.</p>
<p>
Earlier in the night, <em>Smash</em> lead-in <a href="http://www.nbc.com/the-voice/" target="_blank"><em>The Voice</em></a> drew another monster rating, averaging a 6.0 in the demo from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. That represents a manageable 9 percent decline from last week&rsquo;s 6.6.</p>
<p>
The competition series easily won the night on reach, averaging 16.3 million viewers, down 8 percent from 17.8 million on Feb. 6.</p>
<p>
As was the case a week ago, <em>The Voice</em> and <em>Smash</em> combined to give NBC another Monday victory, as the Peacock averaged a 4.9 rating to CBS&rsquo; 3.3, ABC&rsquo;s 2.3, Fox&rsquo;s 2.1 and Univision&rsquo;s 1.4. The CW closed out the night with a 0.6 among adults 18-49 and a 0.7 rating in its target demo (18-34).</p>
<p>
The night was marked by season lows for CBS&rsquo; entire lineup. Freshman comedy <em>2 Broke Girls</em> drew 10.5 million viewers and a 3.8 in the demo&mdash;down 12 percent from last week&rsquo;s 4.3.</p>
<p>
Fox also took its lumps, as&nbsp;freshman drama <em>Alcatraz</em> continued its free fall, averaging a series low 1.9, down 17 percent from last week&rsquo;s 2.3 and 42 percent from a 3.3 in its Jan. 16 premiere.</p>
<p>
Through the first 21 weeks of the season, Fox remains at the top of the leader board, averaging a 3.3 rating, down 3 percent versus the year-ago period. CBS is second with a 3.2 (up 7 percent), while NBC remains in third with a 2.7 (up 4 percent). ABC stands alone in fourth place with a 2.4 in the demo (even with last year).</p>
Television2 Broke GirlsAbcAlcatrazBroadcast RatingsCastleAnthony CrupiFoxHawaii Five-0HouseNbcNetworksRatingsRock Center with Brian WilliamsSmashThe Playboy ClubThe VoiceTue, 14 Feb 2012 19:37:13 +0000138246 at http://www.adweek.com